Ratcliffe criticizes Manchester United squad as Amorim struggles to revive form

MANCHESTER: Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe has admitted that several players in the squad are “not good enough” while others are “overpaid,” highlighting the challenges manager Ruben Amorim faces in turning around the club’s fortunes.

Speaking in a BBC interview on Monday, Ratcliffe, who acquired a 25% stake in United and took charge of football operations, backed Amorim despite the Portuguese coach’s struggles. Since replacing Erik ten Hag in November, Amorim’s United have won just five of 17 Premier League matches and sit in a disappointing 14th place, having also exited both domestic cup competitions.

Thousands of fans protested against the club’s ownership before Sunday’s draw with Arsenal, with Ratcliffe acknowledging the issues he inherited. “We’re buying Antony, Casemiro, Onana, Hojlund, Sancho… whether we like it or not, we’ve inherited those things and have to sort that out,” he said.

Sancho, signed for £73 million in 2021, is currently on loan at Chelsea, with United still covering half his wages and set to pay £17 million to offload him permanently in the summer. Antony, who cost £81.5 million, is on loan at Real Betis.

With growing frustrations among fans and United struggling on the pitch, Amorim faces a daunting challenge in rebuilding the team while Ratcliffe works on restructuring the club’s recruitment and wage structure.(Reuters)